Method and apparatus for de-interlacing video data

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for de-interlacing video data by utilizing motion compensation. The method includes performing an operation of motion estimation on a first pixel of the first field and a second target field to generate a first motion vector, wherein the second target field corresponds to the second field; generating a first reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion vector and the second field; and generating a target pixel of a target frame according to the first pixel and the first reference pixel.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to video system, and more specifically, to a method and an apparatus for de-interlacing video data.

2. Description of the Prior Art

In conventional interlaced scanning, a frame is composed of two fields, which are an odd field composed of odd scan lines, and an even field composed of even scan lines.

In progressive scanning (non-interlaced scanning), an odd field and an even field are combined into one frame, and then the frame is scanned at double horizontal scan frequency in sequence, so that the quality of the image (frame) is improved.

Before combining two fields into one frame, it is necessary to detect the relationship between each field in the video data. This means it is necessary to detect whether the video data is a film mode, for example, and whether the video data is 3-2 pull down or 2-2 pull down. Then, the video data is appropriately de-interlaced according to result of the film mode detection. According to the prior art, the operation of de-interlacing is simply implemented with operations of intra-field interpolation, inter-field interpolation or motion-adaptive process, like the methods disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,577,345 and No. 6,512,550.

However, it is an important task to decrease the errors that appear when determining the pixel values, in order to enhance the quality of de-interlaced images (frames) or lower the costs on the related hardware.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is therefore one of the objectives of the claimed invention to provide a method and an apparatus for de-interlacing video data by utilizing motion compensation.

According to the claimed invention, a method is disclosed for de-interlacing video data. The video data comprises a first field and a second field which is previous to the first field. The method comprises: estimating a motion between a first pixel of the first field and a second target field to generate a first motion signal, wherein the second target field is generated according to the second field; generating a first reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion signal and the second field; and generating a target pixel of a first target frame according to the first pixel and a motion compensation pixel, wherein the motion compensation pixel is generated according to the first reference pixel.

According to the claimed invention, an apparatus for de-interlacing video data is disclosed. The video data comprises a first field and a second field which is previous to the first field. The apparatus comprises: a first motion estimator utilized for estimating a motion between a first pixel of the first field and a second target field to generate a first motion signal, wherein the second target field is generated according to the second field; a first pixel choosing unit utilized for generating a first reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion signal and the second field; and a combining module utilized for generating a target pixel of a first target frame according to the first pixel and a motion compensation pixel, wherein the motion compensation pixel corresponds to the first reference pixel.

These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for de-interlacing video data according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of a video data de-interlacing circuit according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for de-interlacing video data according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a functional diagram of a video data de-interlacing circuit according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of a method for de-interlacing video data utilizing motion compensation according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises receiving three adjacent fields, a second field F_(n−1), a first field F_(n) and a third field F_(n+1), respectively from the video data. The second field F_(n−1) is previous to the first field F_(n), and the first field F_(n) is previous to the third field F_(n+1). FIG. 2 is a functional diagram of a de-interlacing circuit 200 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. The de-interlacing circuit 200 comprises an intra-field interpolator 10, a motion estimator 11, a pixel choosing module 12, a determining module 14, a buffer 15 and a field combining module 16. The motion estimator 11 comprises a motion estimating unit 11 a. The pixel choosing module 12 comprises pixel choosing units 12 a and 12 b. The determining module 14 comprises a determining unit 14 a. The flow of the operation of the first embodiment is described in the following:

-   -   Step 202 (the step of intra-field interpolation): The         intra-field interpolator 10 receives the first field F_(n) and         generates an intra-interpolated reference pixel P_intra         corresponding to a first pixel of the first field F_(n). The         intra-field interpolator 10 of the embodiment can be a         conventional intra-field interpolator;     -   Step 204 (the step of motion estimation): The motion estimator         11 a receives the first field F_(n) and a previous target field         F_mc−1 and estimates a motion between the first pixel of the         first field F_(n) and the previous target field F_mc−1 to         generate a first motion signal including a motion vector MV_(—)1         and a first similarity ratio S₁ corresponding to the first pixel         of the first field F_(n). Wherein, the first motion vector         MV_(—)1 represents the amount of motion between the first pixel         and the possible corresponding pixel P_mc−1 of the previous         target field F_mc−1. If the first motion vector MV_(—)1 is 0, it         means there is no motion between the first pixel and the         possible corresponding pixel P_mc−1. The first similarity ratio         S₁ represents the similarity between the first pixel and the         possible corresponding pixel P_mc−1 of the previous target field         F_mc−1. In an embodiment, a subtraction operation is performed         between the first pixel and the possible corresponding pixel to         get a difference value in order to get the first similarity         ratio S₁. The bigger the difference value, the smaller the first         similarity ratio S₁; the smaller the difference value, the         bigger the first similarity ratio S₁;     -   Steps 206 and 208 are steps of pixel choosing:     -   Step 206: The pixel choosing unit 12 a generates a first         reference pixel P_inter_n−1 corresponding to the first pixel         according to the first motion vector MV_(—)1 and the second         field F_(n−1);     -   Step 208: The pixel choosing module unit generates a second         reference pixel P_inter_n+1 corresponding to the first pixel         according to the first motion vector MV_(—)1 and the third field         F_(n+1);     -   Step 210 (the step of similarity determining): The determining         unit 14 a adjusts the weights of the reference pixels (including         P_intra, P_inter_n−1, and P_inter_n+1) according to the first         similarity ratio S₁ to generate the pixel P_mc of the target         field F_mc corresponding to the first pixel. In an embodiment,         P_mc=w₁×P_inter+(1−w₁)×P_intra, wherein         P_inter=(½)×(P_inter_n−1+P_inter_n+1), and w₁ is corresponding         to the first similarity ratio S₁;     -   Step 212: The buffer 15 is for temporarily storing the pixel         P_mc of the target field F_mc. The field combining module 16         combines the pixel P_mc and the first pixel to generate a target         pixel of a target frame Fr_n; and     -   Step 214: End.

In another embodiment, the intra-interpolated reference pixel P_intra can be omitted, so the step 202 can be ignored. In another embodiment, the second reference pixel P_inter_n+1 can be omitted, so the step 208 can be ignored. In another embodiment, the reference pixel P_intra and P_inter_n+1 can be omitted, so the steps 202, 208 and 210 can be ignored.

If the first field F_(n) is an odd field, the target field F_mc is an even field; if the first field F_(n) is an even field, the target field F_mc is an odd field.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a method for de-interlacing according to the present invention. The method comprises receiving a second field F_(n−1), a first field F_(n) and a third field F_(n+1). The second field F_(n−1) is previous to the first field F_(n), and the first field F_(n) is previous to the third field F_(n+1). FIG. 4 is a functional diagram of a de-interlacing circuit 300 according to the present invention. The circuit 300 comprises an intra-field interpolator 10, a motion estimator 11, a pixel choosing module 12, a determining module 14, a buffer 15 and a field combining module 16. Wherein, the motion estimator 11 comprises motion estimating units, 11 a, 11 b and 11 c. The pixel choosing module 12 comprises pixel choosing units 12 a, 12 b, 12 c and 12 d. The determining module 14 comprises determining units 14 a, 14 b, 14 c and 14 d. Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4. The flow of the operation of the second embodiment is described in the following:

-   -   Step 302 is the same as the step 202;     -   Steps 304, 306 and 308 are steps of motion estimation:     -   Step 304: is substantially the same as the step 204;     -   Step 306: The motion estimating unit 11 b receives the first         field F_(n) and a second field F_(n−1) and generates a second         motion signal;     -   Step 308: The motion estimating unit 11 c receives the first         field F_(n) and a third field F_(n+1) and generates a third         motion signal;     -   Steps 310, 312, 314 and 316 are steps of pixel choosing:     -   Step 310: The pixel choosing unit 12 a generates a first         reference pixel P_inter_n−1_a according to the first motion         vector MV_(—)1 and the second field F_(n−1);     -   Step 312: The pixel choosing unit 12 b generates a third         reference pixel P_inter_n−1_b according to the second motion         vector MV_(—)2 and the second field F_(n−1);     -   Step 314: The pixel choosing unit 12 c generates a fourth         reference pixel P_inter_n−1_a according to the third motion         vector MV_(—)3 and the third field F_(n+1);     -   Step 316: The pixel choosing unit 12 d generates a second         reference pixel P_inter_n+1_b according to the first motion         vector MV_(—)1 and the third field F_(n+1);     -   Steps 318, 320, 322 and 324 are steps of similarity determining:     -   Step 318: The determining unit 14 a adjusts the weights of the         reference pixels (being the first reference pixel P_inter_n−1_a         and the third reference pixel P_inter_n−1_b) according to the         first similarity ratio S₁ and the second similarity ratio S₂. w₁         is the weight of the first reference pixel P_inter_n−1_a. The         determining unit 14 a also generates a fifth reference pixel         P_inter_n−1 and a fourth similarity ratio S₄ according to the         weight of the first reference pixel P_inter_n−1_a, w₁. In an         embodiment, S₄=w₁×S₁+(1−w₁)×S₂,         P_inter_n−1=w₁×P_inter_n−1_a+(1−w₁)×P_inter_n−1_b;     -   Step 320: The determining unit 14 b adjusts the weights of the         reference pixels (being the fourth reference pixel P_inter_n+1_a         and the second reference pixel P_inter_n+1_b) according to the         first similarity ratio S₁ and the third similarity ratio S₃ to         generate a sixth reference pixel P_inter_n+1 and a fifth         similarity ratio S₅;     -   Step 322: The determining unit 14 c adjusts the weights of the         reference pixels (being the fifth reference pixel P_inter_n−1         and the sixth reference pixel P_inter_n+1) according to the         fourth similarity ratio S₄ and the fifth similarity ratio S₅ to         generate a seventh reference pixel P_inter and a sixth         similarity ratio S₆;     -   Step 324: The determining unit 14 d adjusts the weights of the         reference pixels (being the reference pixel for intra-field         interpolation P_intra and the seventh reference pixel P_inter)         according to the sixth similarity ratio S₆. w₆ is the weight of         the seventh reference pixel P_inter. The determining unit 14 d         also generates the pixel P_mc of the target field F_mc         corresponding to the first pixel according to the weight of the         seventh reference pixel P_inter, w₆. In the embodiment,         P_mc=w₆×P_inter+(1−w₆)×P_intra;     -   Step 326: The buffer 15 temporarily stores the pixel P_mc of the         target field F_mc. The field combining module 16 combines the         pixel P_mc of the target field F_mc and the first pixel of the         first field F_(n) to generate a target pixel of a target frame         Fr_n.

Certainly, part of the above-mentioned steps can be omitted. For example, the step 302 and/or part of the steps of motion estimation and/or part of the steps of pixel choosing and/or part of the steps of similarity determining can be omitted.

In an embodiment, the description of the determining function of the determining unit 14 a is described as follows. When the first similarity ratio S₁ and the second similarity ratio S₂ are both bigger than a threshold value, P_inter_n−1=w₁×P_inter_n−1_a+(1−w₁)×P_inter_n−1_b. Wherein, weight w₁=(S₁/(S₁+S₂)). If the first similarity ratio S₁ is bigger than the threshold value and the second similarity ratio S₂ is smaller than the threshold value, P_inter_n−1=P_inter_n−1_a. Additionally, the fourth similarity ratio S₄ can be obtained by the above-mentioned determining function. The determining function of the determining units 14 b, 14 c and 14 d are substantially the same.

In an embodiment, the previous target field corresponding to the previous field is utilized for assisting to make the target field correspond to the present processing field. Therefore, the above-mentioned operation flow can be used to compute and generate a plurality of target fields respectively corresponding to a plurality of fields of the video data, and finally the goal of de-interlacing the video data is reached. In the second embodiment, three fields, F_(n−1), F_(n), F_(n+1), are utilized for predicting other possible reference pixels of each pixel of a target field (eg: P_inter_n+1_a and P_inter_n+1_b). Hence, when performing the following operations of weight blending to get the pixel value of each pixel of the target field, in the present embodiment, the better result of operation can be obtained to avoid a situation in which the pixel values of the inappropriate reference possible pixels affect the pixel values of the actual pixels.

Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, that above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims. 

1. A method for de-interlacing video data, the video data comprising a first field and a second field which is previous to the first field, comprising: estimating a motion between a first pixel of the first field and a second target field to generate a first motion signal, wherein the second target field is generated according to the second field; generating a first reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion signal and the second field; and generating a target pixel of a first target frame according to the first pixel of the first field and a motion compensation pixel of a first target field corresponding to the first field, wherein the motion compensation pixel of the first target field is generated according to the first reference pixel.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: intra-field interpolating the first pixel of the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel; and combining the first and the intra-interpolated reference pixels according to the first motion signal to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video data comprises a third field which is adjacent to the first field, the method further comprising: generating a second reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion signal and the third field; and combining the first and the second reference pixels according to the first motion signal to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 4. The method of claim 3, further comprising: intra-field interpolating the first pixel of the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel.
 5. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising: estimating a motion between the first field and the second field to generate a second motion signal; generating a third reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the second motion signal and the second field; and combining the reference pixels according to the motion signals to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 6. The method of claim 5, further comprising: generating a second reference pixel according to the first motion signal and the third field.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising: estimating a motion between the first field and the third field to generate a third motion signal; and generating a fourth reference pixel according to the third signal and the third field.
 8. The method of claim 5, wherein the reference pixels are combined according to similarity ratios of the motion signals.
 9. The method of claim 5, further comprising: intra-field interpolating the first pixel of the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first motion signal comprises a motion vector and a similarity ratio.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein when the first field is an odd field, the first target field is an even field.
 12. An apparatus for de-interlacing video data, the video data comprising a first field and a second field which is previous to the first field, the apparatus comprising: a first motion estimator utilized for estimating a motion between a first pixel of the first field and a second target field to generate a first motion signal, wherein the second target field is generated according to the second field; a first pixel choosing unit utilized for generating a first reference pixel corresponding to the first pixel according to the first motion signal and the second field; and a combining module utilized for generating a target pixel of a first target frame according to the first pixel of the first field and a motion compensation pixel of a first target field, wherein the motion compensation pixel of the first target field corresponds to the first reference pixel.
 13. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a intra-field interpolator utilized for intra-field interpolating the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel; and a first determining unit utilized for adjusting the weights of the reference pixels according to the first motion signal to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a second pixel choosing unit utilized for generating a second reference pixel according to the first motion signal and the third field; and a second determining unit utilized for adjusting the weights of the reference pixels according to the first motion signal to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising: an intra-field interpolator utilized for intra-field interpolating the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel.
 16. The apparatus of claim 12, further comprising: a second motion estimator utilized for estimating a motion between the first field and the second field to generate a second motion signal; a third pixel choosing unit utilized for generating a third reference pixel according to the second motion signal and the second field; and a third determining unit utilized for adjusting the weights of the reference pixels according to the motion signals to generate the motion compensation pixel.
 17. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: an intra-field interpolator utilized for intra-field interpolating the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel.
 18. The apparatus of claim 16, further comprising: a second pixel choosing unit utilized for generating a second reference pixel according to the first motion signal and the third field.
 19. The apparatus of claim 16, the video data comprising a third field which is adjacent to the first field, the apparatus further comprising: a third motion estimator utilized for estimating a motion between the first field and the third field to generate a third motion signal; and a fourth pixel choosing unit generating a fourth reference pixel according to the third motion signal and the third field.
 20. The apparatus of claim 19, further comprising: an intra-field interpolator utilized for intra-field interpolating the first field to generate an intra-interpolated reference pixel.
 21. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein when the first field is an odd field, the first target field is an even field.
 22. An apparatus for de-interlacing video data, the video data comprising a first field and a second field which is previous to the first field, the apparatus comprising: a motion estimator utilized for estimating a motion between the first field and a second target field to generate a motion compensation signal, wherein the second target field is generated according to the second field; and a combining module utilized for generating a target pixel of a first target frame according to the first pixel of the first field and the motion compensation signal of a first target field corresponding to the first field, wherein the second target field is previous to the first target field. 